Green Bay Packers (1-0) 26, Cleveland Indians (0-1) 0
Sunday September 13th 1931 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - Neither rain, not sun, not the Cleveland Bulldogs could stop the Green Bay Packers in their highly successful opening football game of the National league season here Sunday afternoon when they trimmed the Ohioans by a score of 26 to 0. More than 5,000 fans sat through intermittent rain showers and mid-summer heat to see the Packers launch their campaign for a third successive championship, and when the battle was over, they departed, satisfied that another great team will represent them in the national race again this year. Not a disappointing performance was turned in by any of the Packers. New men in particular looked good and veterans were just as impressive as ever. True, the opposition was not like that to be faced when the Bays meet the Giants, Bears or Brooklyn, but the chances are good that the team will keep up the pace. The Bulldogs will have to show considerable improvement if they expect to be considered contenders for the pennant.
USE STRAIGHT FOOTBALL
However, considering the hear, rain and that Sunday's battle was the first of the year, it was a good performance. Passes and running plays went off with familiar Packer precision and defensively, the men looked as good as ever. The game contained quite a bit of good football, blocking and teamwork by the Bays' outstanding features. The Packers didn't find it necessary to go into their repertoire of new plays or take to the overhead game as often as they have in the past. They used mostly straight football and the way they played it was plenty good. The old snap and fight was present from the start to the finish with the new men getting "the feel" of the Packer style almost immediately. Capt. E.L. Lambeau used every player on his squad with the exception of Lewellen, Darling and Nash. It would be hard to single out individual heroes as all did their share. Some, naturally, took the limelight, but their success was due nearly as much to other players who blocked or otherwise helped clear the way.
SAUNDERS LOOK GOOD
Russ Saunder, the California flash, and Roger Grove, who came to Green Bay with Jimmy Crowley's recommendations, lived up to all advance notices. Both did everything well, showing speed to burn and lots of shiftiness. Grove called signals like a veteran and showed some quick thinking. He passed, ran with the ball, punted and played a bang-up game on defense. It looks like he belongs. The same thing can be said about Saunders, who tore off some great runs, crashing through tackle on one occasion to race 38 yards for a touchdown. Then there was Mule Wilson, of Giant fame, who showed that he has lost none of his old time kick, when he crashed through to run about the same distance as Saunders dashed for a marker. And there was Baker, Northwestern's great end; Gantenbein, of Wisconsin; Hank Bruder, also of Northwestern, and a score of others, all newcomers, who showed plenty of form. On the line, several veterans were again outstanding and when new men were called into action, there was no apparent weakening of the front wall. Comstock and Stahlman, who were Giant uniforms last year, were prominent in many plays. There is no question but that they also belong. Jannisen and Don Carlos, fresh from college ranks, made successful debuts.
SCORE EARLY IN GAME
The Packers had a little trouble at the start figuring out Cleveland's passing attack and their triple pass plays behind the line of scrimmage, but when they began to get the jump on the Bulldogs, they kept it to the end and the invaders had little chance to get into scoring territory. The first touchdown came early in the game and others followed at the rate of one each quarter. Wilson was the sparkplug in the opening attack, reeling off a gain of 11 yards on a cutback to go deep into enemy territory. When the Packers were give a pass for interference, they had the ball on Cleveland's 19 yard line. Wilson then dropped back after a few line plays had gained only four yards and tossed a pass to Baker, who ran to his left then cut back to the right, evading his opponent and taking the ball on the dead run, crossed the goal line for the first touchdown. Whitey Woodin was called out of the line for the try from placement and his kick was good, giving Green Bay a 7 to 0 lead. The Packers were pushed down deep into their own territory a few minutes later. It was the only time that Cleveland got beyond the 20-yard line. Three forward passes figured in the march with the final heave going to Vokaty who ran to the Packer 11 yard line before Fitzgibbons brought him down. The play was one of the many in which Fitzgibbons brought him down. A double pass with Novotny carrying the ball fooled the Packers and he crashed to the four-yard line before being stopped. Here the Bulldog attack weakened however, as two plunges failed to gain and a pass over the goal line was knocked down and the Packers took the ball on their own 20 yard mark.
BAKER RECOVERS FUMBLE
Just before the start of the second quarter, Baker recovered a Cleveland fumble on the Ohio 25 yard line to put the Packer in scoring position again, but a pass over the goal line was incomplete and the Bulldogs took the ball, punting out beyond midfield. Saunders then was the leader in an attack that resulted in the second touchdown. He cut over tackle on one play to run 18 yards and then Bruder picked up seven yards by circling the end. Russ again took the ball and swept right through the line and down the field, evading three men as he ran to cross the goal. The try for an extra point via a kick by Grove was wide of the posts. That ended the scoring in the first half. An exchange of punts with Cleveland getting the worst of the deal gave the ball to the Packers on the Cleveland 33 yard line soon after the second half started. McCrary picked up six yards after a Cleveland penalty for offside and a pass from Herber to Blood brought the ball to the three yard line before Blood was run out of bounds. Herber hit center to put the ball on the three-inch mark and on the next play, McCrary dove over the same spot for a touchdown. Woodin's kick for extra point was wide of the posts. Vokaty and Novotny did some damage a short time later, hitting the Packer line for a first down. However, the Ohioans lost what they'd gained when Fitzgibbons broke through to throw Kriss for a ten yard loss and the invaders had to punt. A 25-yard penalty for clipping pushed the Packers in the shadow of their own goal line after that but Herber punted out to the 25-yard line.
TRY PLACEKICK
After failing to gain, Cleveland tried a placekick from the 30 yard line which was wide and short of the goal posts and the Packers took the ball on their own 20-yard mark. A pass, Herber to Baker, from punt formation, caught Cleveland by surprise and carried the ball to the 36 yard line. Herber then punted and the ball rolled to the Cleveland 12-yard line where it was downed shortly before the third period ended. The greatest run of the day was made by Kriss, Cleveland back, soon after the start of the fourth period. He took a punt deep in his own territory and raced through the entire Packer field, side-stepping, using a straight arm and evading several men who tried to tackle him before Herber finally caught him from behind on the Packer 30 yard line by a diving tackle. He appeared to be headed for a certain touchdown when Herber came into the limelight.
Late in the fourth period, Molenda intercepted a Cleveland pass on the 39 yard line. On the first play, Wilson raced around left end, evading one man and outsprinting the field for a touchdown. Four Packers gave him great interference on the sweeping run. Red Dunn kicked the goal for the extra point and the game ended a few moments later.
CLEVELAND - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 7 6 6 7 - 23
SCORING
1ST - GB - Frank Baker, 15-yard pass from Mule Wilson (Whitey Woodin kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2ND - GB - Russ Saunders, 40-yard run (Roger Grove kick failed) GREEN BAY 13-0
3RD - GB - Hurdis McCrary, 1-yard run (Woodin kick failed) GREEN BAY 19-0
4TH - GB - Wilson, 39-yard run (Red Dunn kick) GREEN BAY 26-0
SIDELIGHTS
SEPT 15 (Green Bay) - "Eeny-meenie-miney-moe"...and a half dozen brawny Packers stood up as the finger of Coach Lambeau singled them out for action. The Bay coach was much like the old woman who lived in the shoe yesterday...had so many players he hardly knew what to do. But it didn't take him long to figure it out..."This is marvelous. I never saw such fast football," an Eastern visitor was heard to remark. As the slang of the day would have it, "he hasn't seen nothing yet", for the Bays were merely doing a little practice work...The rain didn't effect the spirits of the crowd a bit. In fact, it furnished a lot of amusement as raincoats, hats and suit coats came off, one after the other, and then were hurriedly donned as a few drops of rain fell. In a few minutes the sun has its inning and the process was repeated, ad finitum until the final whistle blew...The rain was a bonanza to the players who appreciated the slight cooling of the atmosphere. We figured it was probably Red Dunn's prayers being answered...No small part of the entertainment was furnished by Eric Karle during the halftime intermission. He obliged by singing a song of his own composition. It was a Packer "Victory Song"..."Big Battering" Bo Molenda did some battering the minute he entered the game. The big fullback rammed through center for an eight-yard gain and was kicked in the head by a Cleveland player. The blow stunned Bo for a few moments, but the smelling salts and a few shakes of his head cleared his mind for further action and he continued to show the Bulldogs how to hit a line...Wuert Englemann, the speedy South Dakota halfback, came to the front with some great blocking for both Saunders and Mule Wilson when those two men ran for touchdowns. Wuert cleared the way on both occasions, taking two men out when Wilson crashed around left end for his marker. A combination of Red Dunn, Saunders, Englemann and Wilson was one of the good bets of the day...Capt. Lambeau had a real "pony" backfield in play at one stage. It was composed of Herber, Zuidmulder, Johnson and Grove. Herber, Zuidmulder and Johnson all played football in the Fox River Valley conference at the same time...Lavvie Dilweg sustained a bump in the head that laid him out for a few moments. He was as good as ever after a short rest, however. It takes a lot of bumps to stop that big end.
JOHNSTON MAKES PRO DEBUT
SEPT 15 (Appleton) - Chester "Swede" Johnston, Appleton, a star performer of Fox River Valley high school grids made his professional grid debut Sunday at Green Bay. The youngster is trying for a berth with the Packers. His first efforts were not productive of any long gains but his friends hope he'll shake off nervousness that characterizes situations like a pro debut and start cutting the grid capers of a few years ago.
BROOKLYN TEAM MEETS PACKERS HERE ON SUNDAY
SEPT 16 (Green Bay) - Tonnage in the forward wall and speed in the backfield are factors which make the Brooklyn Dodgers, National professional football league title contenders, dangerous for all National league opposition. The Dodgers are slated to arrive in Green Bay late this week, prepared to furnish entertainment as opponents for the Packers Sunday. Jack McBride, fullback speed artist who won All-American honors at Syracuse University; Warner Mizell, former Georgia Tech fullback; and Milo Lubratovich, one time University of Wisconsin tackle, are among the best known Dodgers who will appear against the Packers next Sunday. The backfield averages 178.6 pounds, and the forward line 198.8 pounds. ..BULTMAN AT CENTER: Green Bay fans, however, will be particularly interested in the appearance here of Arthur (Red) Bultman, former West High center and Marquette University co-captain, who is paired with Jonas, former Utah star, to comprise the center strength of the Brooklyn Dodger. Bultman has a host of friends in Green Bay and throughout Wisconsin, where his aggressive type of play is well remembered. A lively looking collection of ends is carried. There is Nemecek, who once played with New York university, who is more than six feet tall and who weighs 180 pounds. Stramiello hails from Colgate, and also is the tall, rangy type of end best adapted to professional football. He scales 185 pounds. The other ends are Tomaine, Georgetown, 187 pounds; and Ray Wagner, former Columbia luminary, who weighs 176, but who has developed a hard driving style of play..LUBRATOVICH OF WISCONSIN: Brooklyn is well fortified around the tackle posts. Big Milo Lubratovich, Wisconsin, tips the beams at a hefty 225, thereby balancing Red Sleight, his Green Bay opposition. Sleight scales but a scant 223 in fighting trim. Jim Mooney is a regular Dodger tackle. He weighs 188, and attracted plenty of attention as an undergraduate at Georgetown University. He is a splendid kicker and averages close to 60 yards on punts. The other tackle is Watkins, a Georgia Tech specimen who can push any scale around to the 228 mark. Brooklyn's outstanding guard is Bob Gilson, 200 pound husky from Colgate university, who captains the Dodgers' squad. Gilson showed sparking style in the early season workouts at Magnetic Springs, Ohio, and has proved a thorn in the side of many a National league player. Fulton, Oglethorpe, is another dependable guard weighing 193 pounds, while a star of the first magnitude is Mielzinger, Carnegie Tech graduate, who serves as running guard and weighs a neat 236. When coupled with Yablok, running halfback, Mielzinger provides a scoring punch which is difficult to halt. The quarterbacks, Abbruzzino and Yablok of Colgate, are a pair of triple threats who are certain to prove constantly dangerous to many a National league entry. The former weighs 183, while Yablok, who has earned the sincere respect of Coach E.L. (Curly) Lambeau of Green Bay, tips the weight at 172 and is built like a concrete mixer...SPEED TO BURN: There is speed to burn among the fleet Brooklyn backs. McBride's work in the Green Bay game will come in for all kinds of notice, as will that of the Georgia Tech flash. Mizell, who is a "ramblin' wreck" all by himself. Mizell tears with the Lumpkin style of line smashing and is dead for several yards on almost every attempt. Then there is"Texas" Vance, a line plunger who saw many a goal line coast by while performing for Southwest Texas. Tommy Dowler, one-time Colgate flash, excels in tackle-slicing. Dowler looks a bit like the celebrated Grange in action, possessing a long stride and deception in his change of pace. Swede Hanson, former Temple back, may be counted upon to bring his 188 pounds into play when Green Bay meets Brooklyn. He is one of the best triple threat artists the Dodgers can bring into action, and is certain to get his taste of strenuous service on Sunday. Another well-known back who will scamper across the Bay gridiron is Stumpy Thomason, Georgia Tech, at 186 pounds. He was one of the stars of the 1930 professional season.
BULTMAN SHOULD STAR WITH BROOKLYN, DECLARES MURRAY
SEPT 16 (Milwaukee) - "Red Bultman? I can see no reason why that boy won't make good in professional football." The words are those of Frank Murray, Marquette university grid coach, who has an enviable reputation as a forecaster, and also has several of "his boys" playing professional football to substantiate his statements. Four of them are with the Green Bay Packers. The veteran Hilltop coach is now engrossed entangling the stray remnants of his 1930 undefeated Golden Avalanche, after graduation and ineligibilities worked havoc with the squad. His Hilltopppers had only one blemish on an otherwise lily-white escutcheon last fall, a tie game with the University of Detroit. Coach Murray enjoys his professional football and always has a good word for its gridders. He manages to attend several of the Packers' home games every year. He likes to hear favorable comments about his former grid pupils and nearly pops the buttons off his vest when he is told the undeniable truth that Lavvie Dilweg is the greatest end in football livery today. He chuckles at the humorous stories about his all-American quarterback in 1922, Joseph (Red) Dunn. Red has been campaigning for several years but as time burdens his shoulders, he seems to augment his stock of football tricks. Although Woodin was at Marquette when Murray was just ascending the bottom rung of the grid ladder as an assistant to Jack Ryan, Whitey is to him another of "his boys". Murray enjoys immensely the fighting maneuvers of the veteran Packer guard, almost as much as Whitey himself, when he squares off against the illustrious boxing and wrestling exponent, Brute Trafton. Then there's the jokester, Ken Radick, who two years ago captained the Hilltoppers. Trying to get Murray to make some statement about pro football in its relative superiority or inferiority to the game played by the college gridders, is a fruitless task. Murray is too smart. He refuses to enroll himself in so foolhardy an argument. Murray was coaxed to discuss pro football and the college brand but he maintained his sphinx-like demeanor and replied: "Shortly, let's talk about Red Bultman." And so he continued: "The Brooklyn club got a good, consistent man in Red Bultman. He is a hard-working boy, and is a coach's ideal when it comes to keeping in condition. I admired Red Bultman as a football player and a gentleman. His very presence instilled action into our football team. Consistency is really a gridder's chief stock in trade in pro football. That is why Red will make good. He never got hurt or complained of minor injuries and most of all he never twisted the signals. He has the play on the tips of his fingers when the first signal is called. Bultman was the greatest passing center Marquette ever had. He is patient, football smart and has many other fine qualities that will someday make him a good coach. Say, Shorty, I was up to Green Bay to watch the Packers practice. They are a great looking outfit in my estimation. I told Red Bultman I'd be in Green Bay to see the Brooklyn game. This boy Russ Saunders is a great back and..." Coach Murray was good for a thirty minutte discussion of the Packers.
INVITE SCHOOL GRID TEAMS TO PACKER GAMES
SEPT 17 (Green Bay) - Football squads from Wisconsin and Upper Michigan high schools will be "pay guests" of the Green Bay football corporation at a number of the Packer games this fall. At a meeting of the Football corporation's executive committee, it was decided to invite the scholastic gridders to attend the Packer contests on a cut-rate basis. The offer sent out to some 40 schools provides for 50 cents admission per player. Each squad is limited to 80 members and the Packers management will seat the high school footballers in the $1.50 reserved sections. The cut-rate prices will prevail at all games except the Chicago Bears on September 27 and the New York Giants October 4. It is expected that several grounds will attend the game here Sunday with the Brooklyn Dodgers...JOANNES ISSUES STATEMENT: In speaking of the high school offer President I.H. Joannes of the Football corporation said: "We aim to make it possible for the high school teams to see the Packers in action. The Packer management feels that the reduced rate for the boys is a step in the right direction and if successful, we intend to repeat it in following years." Among the schools invited are: Berlin, Beaver Dam, Waupun, Oconomowoc, Sturgeon Bay, Kewaunee, Algoma, East and West De Pere, Kaukauna, Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Shawano, Antigo, Wausau, Merrill, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Lena, Oconto Falls, New London,East and West Green Bay, Wisconsin Rapids, Kimberly, Marinette, Seymour, Black Creek, Clintonville, Nekoosa and Portage. Included in the Upper Michigan list are: Menominee, Escanaba, Iron Mountain, Ironwood, Gladstone, Ishpeming, Houghton and Hancock.
BAKER SPRAINS ANKLE
SEPT 17 (Green Bay) - Frank Baker, whose pass grabbing ability while playing end at Northwestern earned him a berth on the 1930 all-American team, sprained his ankle Tuesday while practicing with the Packers and, according to Dr. W.W. Kelly, will probably be out of the game for two weeks. Baker was dashing for an overhead toss when his ankle twisted and he was barely able to hobble off the practice field.
WILL SEEK REVENGE
SEPT 17 (Magnetic Springs, OH) - Coach Depler brought his Brooklyn Dodgers back here from Portsmouth for a few days of training in preparation for the NFL game with the pennant-winning Packers at Green Bay, Wis., Sunday. According to present plans, the Brooklyn squad will leave on Friday night for Chicago where their special car will be switched over to a train for Green Bay, scheduled to arrive Saturday evening. The Brooklyn players are disgusted with the verdict at Portsmouth and are confident of getting even at Green Bay. Coach Depler insists that the pass which started the Portsmouth touchdown march in the second quarter was illegal. The Brooklyn mentor has forwarded a complaint to Pres. Joe F. Carr on the ruling. The second Portsmouth marker in the same quarter came when one of Mooney's punts was blocked. This was the first time in Mooney's career as a pro gridder that he he ever had a punt blocked and the former Georgetown star is still growling about it...STARRED AGAINST PORTSMOUTH: From a Brooklyn point of view, one of the features of the Portsmouth game was Red Bultman's play at center. The former Marquette captain, who resides in Green Bay, gave the much vaunted Randolph, Portsmouth center, all he was looking for. Twice Bultman sifted through the line and dumped the mighty McLean before he reached the scrimmage line. Bultman is "pepped up" about the game at Green Bay and he has promised his teammates a home cooked banquet if they take the Packers into camp. After the Green Bay contest, the Dodgers will go to a southern Wisconsin resort for a few days and then travel on to Cleveland where they are booked Sept. 26. This is a Saturday night game. Soon after the final whistle blows the Brooklyn club will depart for Binghamton, N.Y., where an exhibition tilt is scheduled Sunday.
HALAS TO SCOUT PACKERS DURING BROOKLYN BATTLE
SEPT 17 (Green Bay) - Leave it to George Halas, head of the Chicago Bears, to pull the unexpected on or off the football field. In the 20 games of football between the Packers and Bears, the Chicago leader has often sprung one surprise after another but his latest offering so startled the executives of the Green Bay Football corporation that they had to read Halas' letter twice to make sure that they were not seeing things. Halas and Coach Ralph Jones are coming up here Sunday to scout the Packers in the Brooklyn game and what's more the Bear owner asked for four complimentary tickets. It is hard to say what Halas has up his sleeve through this novel request. It is generally the case when a team sends out gridiron sleuths they "bum shoe" around and try to prevent the club being scouted from knowing that they are present...LETTER FROM HALAS: The Bear owners' letter follows: "Green Bay Football Corp., Dear Sirs:
My wife and I, together with another couple, Coach Ralph Jones and his wife, expect to drive up to see your game in Green Bay this coming Sunday, Sept. 20, against Brooklyn. I would appreciate very much it you would set aside four tickets for me. I do not care for seats behind the goal posts. We expect to scout your game so tell Curley not to leave his bag of tricks lying around loose. As usual, lots of luck, except in the Bears' game. Sincerely yours, George S. Halas." The Packer management lost little time in filling the Halas request and a registered letter has been forwarded to the Chicago owner containing four tickets which are not behind the goal posts. Halas has never forgotten the 1926 game here when the Bear complimentary tickets called for seats behind the uprights at the east end of the field and his guests were forced to face the sun during the contest...BROOKLYN PLENTY TOUGH: Brooklyn is plenty tough. That is the information that Coach Lambeau received from one of his scouts who attended the Dodgers contest in Portsmouth last Sunday without making himself known. The dope which reached the Packer coach on Wednesday praises Stumpgy Thomason, Brooklyn halfback, as a slippery open field runner. Fullback Dowler is rated high while Nemecek, the former New York "U" end, is pictured as an aggressive wingman. This was the paragraph on Bultman: "Your Green Bay product looked well against Randolph. The Portsmouth center tried to ride Bultman early in the game and hurry his passes but the former Marquette captain kept shooting the ball like a bullet, handing the chesty Randolph a little extra punishment in the bargain. He is apt to give us plenty of trouble Sunday." With these facts to work on, Coach Lambeau speeded up his practice this morning along to the gridders. Milt Gantenbein played against Dowler in the Colgate-Wisconsin game a couple of years ago and he backed up the statement that the former Colgate star is quite a line plunger. So far as the center duel goes, Don Carlos played against Bultman three times in Marquette-Drake contests and he should know Red's style of play at the pivotal post. Both Mule Wilson and Dick Stahlman have healthy respect for Thomason, who in his college days ran the other halfback with Father Lumpkin at Georgia Tech. According to Wilson, Thomason runs hard and low and can near pick a hole in a needle.
HUGHITT TO REFEREE
SEPT 17 (Columbus, OH) - Joe F. Carr, president of the NFL, has assigned Tommy Hughitt of Buffalo, N.Y., to handle the Packer-Brooklyn game in Green Bay this Sunday. Hughitt is spending his vacation in Escanaba, Mich., and is only a short jump to the home of the national champions. Working with Hughitt will be George Lawrie of Chicago as umpire and H.M. Witte of Appleton as head linesman. Lawrie is a veteran pro loop official while this will be Witte's debut in the circuit.
CLEVELAND COACH PRAISES PACKERS; TEAM TRAINS FOR BEARS AT WAUPACA FIELD
SEPT 17 (Waupaca) - The Cleveland Indians, Owner Jerry Corcoran's entry in the National Professional Football league, believe in mixing work - hard work - with a bit of pleasure and relaxation as they prepare for their battle with the Chicago Bears at the Windy City in a starlight game Friday evening. Following a 26 to 0 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, members of the Cleveland team, 23 strong, came immediately to Waupaca, and have been staying at the Chain O' Lakes, noted central Wisconsin resort, since that time. They were to leave for Chicago late this afternoon. Most of the resorters have returned home following the summer season and the gridders have the one hotel all to themselves. Corcoran has chartered a Greyhound bus for the exclusive use of the club. They travel to Waupaca five miles away for their meals, have a two-hour workout every morning and a similar one in the afternoon, and the rest of the time there's swimming and fishing. They're living the life of Riley, in bed before twelve, up at seven, and the most exciting amusement outside of the poker games is a movie...VETERAN IN PRO GAME: Jerry Corcoran, veteran pro league magnate, who took over the Cleveland franchise this year, has been connected with the professional side of the grid sport for eighteen years. He owned the Brooklyn club for the past two seasons, and before that he was interested in half-a-dozen pro and semi-pro organizations. "It's the greatest game in the world," he insists, "and it's getting bigger every year. Just think. We had 34,000 spectators at our first game in Cleveland's new stadium this year. That's a crowd." Corcoran was particular enthusiastic about the work of the Packers in Sunday's game. "They've got a better team over there than they had last year," he remarked, "but I think the team that will win the championship is the Chicago Bears. You remember how they trounced the Packers and the Giants during the latter part of last season? When you get players like Nagurski and Grange in the same backfield, I don't believe any football team on earth is going to stop them, not even the Packers. Green Bay ought to win all of its home games, though. I look for them to lose two or three when they hit the road."...LIKE SAUNDERS' WORK: The Cleveland manager was especially impressed with the work of Saunders, the sensational newcomer from Southern California, was worked in the Packer backfield last Sunday. "He sure is a wonder," was his succinct statement. "I liked his playing much better than I did that of Baker at end. Baker is a bear at going up after passes and he's a sweet boy on offense, but he needs experience on defense. Sure, Dunn, Dilweg, Michalske and most of the other vets looked about as good as ever. They'll always be able to play football because they've got brains and know how to use them. I've got a pretty good gang of boys myself," Corcoran continued, "and they'll be plenty tough to beat by the middle of the season. I have not got a lot of well known stars but everyone of them is a football player. The team didn't expect to get trimmed so badly at Green Bay and I think they'll give a lot better account of themselves against the Bears. You see, we play Brooklyn at home a week from Sunday and we can't go back to Cleveland without some kind of a record. Anyway, I've got too good a gang to get trounced by four touchdowns again."
WHISPERS OF PROFESSIONALISM KEEPS BUCKETS GOLDENBERG OUT OF SUIT AT WISCONSIN THIS FALL
SEPT 18 (Madison) - Insistent whisperings of "professionalism" were given a qualified denial Thursday afternoon by Charles (Buckets) Goldenberg, star Badger sophomore back of 1930, who is willing, but not invited, to play football for Coach Glenn Thistlethwaite again this season. "Something happened this summer that might have raised a question about my standing," declared Goldenberg, "but I do not think it is fear of protest that is keeping me off the team. I was working as an 'attendant' at Milwaukee public playgrounds. In the course of my work I was called upon to umpire four or five baseball games. After a week or so I was informed that a player became ineligible under Big Ten conference rulings if he used his athletic knowledge for earning money. I never played anything but football at Wisconsin and could not see how knowledge gained in the sport could help me in calling balls and strikes. However, to be on the safe side, I took up the matter with my employer, Mr. Harold Morgan. He did not think there would be any difficulty, but to be doubly safe I returned my pay and quit the job." In view of this statement, the reason for Goldenberg's not playing seems to be the original idea that Thistlethwaite didn't think Buckets would fit in with his plans for "character building". Goldenberg had a few words to say in regard to this matter. "I admit that I contracted certain debts, and did some things I shouldn't have, but I was always in condition during football season, and always gave my best on the field. Now I am on the road back. I am paying my debts, have a job and will continue at school until I get a degree. I am willing to play football anytime Coach Thistlethwaite calls upon me. But of course, I can't play football without a uniform." Buckets appeared in Madison Thursday afternoon in apparently fine condition. At 212 pounds he was slightly overweight, but was not more than a week from the pink. While talking to a correspondent, he was approached by a gentleman who offered to pay his way to Green Bay twice a week to work out with the Packers, but Buckets does not intend to do anything which will hurt his school work. He admitted a tentative offer to play with the Packers had been made. For the present, he intends going about his work, with the hope that he may be called upon to don the moleskins before the season has run its course.
MANY VETERANS RETURN TO PLAY WITH BROOKLYN TEAM; FINISHED FOURTH IN 1930
SEPT 18 (Green Bay) - It is seldom that a newly organized football machine ever gets any place in its first season in the National league but Coach Johnny Depler upset the dope bucket in 1930 when he steered his "infant" Dodgers into fourth position. This was accomplished by winning seven games, losing four and tying one. Brooklyn's percentage was .636. This fall Coach Depler has his eyes on the pennant. The defeat at Portsmouth was a bitter pill but the Brooklyn leader figures that his football aggregation will have a whole lot to say about the top of the heap when the curtain drops on Dec 13...ONLY FEW
MISSING: The Brooklyn mentor has kept his 1930 squad nearly intact. Haberg, all-American center, is out of football with an injured shoulder; Garvey and Mahan are coaching in New England, while Clark and Weimer were turned over to the Cleveland Bulldogs in return for Mizell of Georgia Tech. Brooklyn has a pair of veteran pro league ends in Stramiello and Tomaine. Monney and Haines both saw service for the Dodgers at tackle last season. Mooney, who is a great kicker, as named for a tackle berth on the second all-American professional team...CAPT. GILSON AT GUARD: Capt. Gilson is starting his second year at guard and is paired with Mielzinger, who was purchased from the New York Giants. Stumpfy Thomason, Yip Yablok and Jack McBride are the only backs from the 1930 team. Coach Depler grabbed some college stars in Abbruzzino of Colgate, Scalzi of Georgetown, Hanson of Temple, Vance of Texas, Mizell of Georgia Tech and Bowler of Colgate, whom he figures should gain a lot of ground in the pro wheel. Two new ends, Nemecek of New York "U" and Wagner of Columbia, have been added to the squad. The recruit tackles include Lubratovich of Wisconsin and Watkins, Georgia Tech, who was bought from Philadelphia. There are three additions to the center trio. Fulton, a six footer from Oglethorpe, is taking his turn as guard, while Red Bultman, Marquette, and Jonas, Utah, are fighting it out for first string center.
LEAVES FRIDAY NIGHT
SEPT 18 (Magnetic Springs, OH) - The Brooklyn Dodgers' football squad, 26 strong, leaves here Friday night for Green Bay, where Sunday Coach Depler's team will give battle to the Packers, twice national champions. Russ Haines, who played tackle for Brooklyn last season, joined the club here Wednesday while Frosty Peters, former Illini star, checked in at noon Thursday. Peters is a fast running back, who built up quite a reputation as a kicker playing under Coach Bob Zuppke. Last fall he started his pro career with the Providence Steamrollers and was sold to Brooklyn late in the season. According to Coach Depler, his club is in the pink and he has high hopes of breaking into the win column at the expense of the Green Bay champions. The Brooklyn team has been working out here since Sept. 1.
PRO GRID NOTES
SEPT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Chicago Cardinals open their 1931 league season next Wednesday in a night game at Portsmouth. Le Roy Andrews has been putting Dr. Jones' hirelings through extensive drills for the past two weeks...Jerry Corcoran, manager of the Cleveland club, has shifted the game with Brooklyn to Saturday, Sept. 26. Night football is going over big in the Forest City and Corcoran has hopes of making a cleaning...The Philadelphia Yellowjackets will use the National league baseball park for their home games. Frankford field, the home of the Hornets, will soon be cut up in a Quaker city park improvement project...Despite the torrid heat, the Spartan-Dodger contest at Brooklyn last Sunday packed 'em in. Portsmouth bunched two touchdowns in the second stanza for a 14 to 0 victory. Brooklyn was a constant threat...Brooklyn has already booked one weekend doubleheader. After playing Cleveland Saturday, Sept. 26, the Dodgers will hasten to Binghamton, N.Y., where an exhibition encounter has been booked for the Sabbath...As soon as Paddy Driscoll gets through with his semi pro baseball in Chicago, he will draw some officiating assignments in the National loop. In his day, Paddy was one of the greatest of smart quarterbacks...President Joe F. Carr will keep a point making table of the postgraduate gridders this season. Scorers have been appointed for each spoke in the wheel and the interesting statistics will be published weekly...Charlie Bennett, one of Indiana's greatest backs, won't be seen with Portsmouth this fall. Bennett was one of the sensations of the 1930 season. Topnotch business connections have ended Bennett's grid career...Harold (Red) Grange and his famous "77" will perform again in the Chicago Bears' backfield this fall. The former Illini flash is showing all his old time pep in practice. Grange doesn't ever seem to grow old...Leo Raskowski, all-American tackle from Ohio State several years ago, will be seen with Philadelphia this season. Raskowski is the type of gridder who should make the headlines...The Hominy Indians of Okmulgee, Okla., are salted to rub elbows with the Giants in New York Wednesday, Sept. 23. This is an exhibition game. It is figured the Redskins footballers will draw well in Gotham...Dan Blaine's Stapleton club will make his first trip west this fall. On Nov. 8, Hinky Haines & Co. is billed to appear in Green Bay, and the Islanders will celebrate Armistice Day by facing Portsmouth...Hoge Workman looks like the spark plug of the Cleveland squad. The former Ohio luminary kicked and passed well in the Green Bay contest. He had some good assistance from Kriss and Clark...Schwartz, Washington State, won a home in Portsmouth when he plunged over for the first touchdown against Brooklyn. The far westerner was pinch hitting for Myles McLean and he certainly did a good job...Providence is planning for a banner opening game on Sunday, Sept. 27, when the New York Giants tangle with the Steamrollers in the Cycledrome. These clubs have been bitter enemies for years in pro football...Prof Blumer, who doubles as a Chicago professor and postgraduate footballer, has signed another contract with the Chicago Cardinals. As can be expected, the "prof" is a mighty smart center flanker.
BROOKLYN DODGERS BATTLE PACKERS ON BAY GRID SUNDAY
SEPT 19 (Green Bay) - Well fortified as to line and backfield, the Brooklyn Dodgers will invade City Stadium here Sunday to play their second professional league football game against the national championship Packers. Brooklyn's line is studded with stars, such as Mooney, Georgetown tackle; Lubratovich, Wisconsin tackle; Gilson, Colgate graduate; Mielzinger, Carnegie Tech guard; Bultman, Marquette center; and Tomaine, Georgetown end. There are plenty of reserves for the Green Bay-Brooklyn battle. The Dodgers' backfield which will swing into action with the kickoff at 2 o'clock Sunday, is certain to be fast and shifty. Frosty Peters, Illinois back, is an important cog in the Brooklyn attack, particularly as regards blocking and kicking, and the Dodgers have also signed Abbruzzino, Colgate all-eastern high scorer last season. Yablok, another Colgate quarterback, is a threat to be feared. Other backs of note include Thomason, Georgia Tech; the redoubtable Jack McBride, Syracuse All-American; Mizell, of Georgia Tech, and Vance, of Southwestern Texas. The Packers came through the first game and the succeeding practice sessions in good shape. Baker, all-American end from Northwestern, twisted an ankle while practicing early this week, and probably will not see action in Sunday's game. Sounder, who displayed plenty of form against Cleveland; Wilson, the new Packer backfield rambler; Grove, sensational triple threat quarterback from Michigan, and the famed Packer old guard all are in shape to continue the Green Bay victory string, launched against the Bulldogs last Sunday. Hughitt, of Michigan, who handled last Sunday's scrap here without a mixup, will again referee.
GREEN BAY'S FIRST CHAMPS IN THE GAY NINETIES WROTE ENDURING FOOTBALL HISTORY
SEPT 19 (Green Bay) - Is Green Bay a great football town because it has great football teams? Or has Green Bay great football teams because it's a great football team? Which is the cause and which is the effect? Which came first, the hen or the egg? Many there are who will tell you that the World Champion Green Bay Packers are the direct descendant of great high school teams in Green Bay which played with the bitterest rivalry and settled something or other every Thanksgiving day with all the spirit and enthusiasm and desperation of an army capturing an enemy fortress. But the genealogy of the Packers goes farther back into history than that. The Packers well enough may be the fruit of the family football tree, and the very good high school teams may be the trunk of that tree. But the old family tree had some good deep roots also, and hail! to the champion Green Bay Football Team of 1895, 1896, 1897 and 1898. There is a team that played a whole season without an opponent crossing its goal line. And there's a team that went out and settled the squabble about whether professional football or college football is the better, even if Bob Zuppke isn't satisfied yet...BEAT LAWRENCE TEAM: They challenged Lawrence University, the best college team in the state in 1898, according to recollections, got them onto the field, wagered nearly everything in town except the city hall on the outcome of the game, allowed the powerful collegians just two first downs and defeated them to the merry old tune of 44 to 0. That accomplished, the first somewhat professional team in Green Bay folded its tents like the Arabs and quietly stole away into history satisfied it had contributed something to the era in which it lived. And I'm willing to say that it did, and to several
eras that followed for to my notion it started the football fever in Green Bay which has burned on endlessly since and has written the name of a city of less than 40,000 inhabitants across the metropolitan sports pages of America in two-inch headlines and answered forever the question: "Where is Green Bay?" High school football as a competitive or interscholastic sport did not originate in Green Bay before the twentieth century. The first huge argument to settle whether or not the east side or the west side was the best place to live did not occur until the twentieth century was four years old. The great and Champion, mind you, Green Bay Football Team had paraded across the football horizon eight years before the first high school game. It was a championship team because it beat everything that was willing to play a game. It was a somewhat-professional team because it hired, entered into a contract with and paid one of its players, the famous Tom Skenadore of Carlisle Indian school in Pennsylvania...USED FLYING WEDGE: The team employed the very famous "flying wedge" play. The wedge was a "V" shaped formation something like the formation wild geese employ. But this was no wild goose chase. It got somewhere, regularly. The team had all the "beef" it needed for the push part of the wedge, a distinctive company of performing human elephants, but it needed the apex or point of the wedge, and the Carlisle sensation was it. And this Tom Skenadore didn't need to be pushed either. He did lots of things in a football way and he did them well, and the flying wedge instead of developing after his arrival, gradually faded out and gave way to smarter through less cruel formations. The squad did well in its first years. It settled a lot of bets and the supremacy of Green Bay or Fond du Lac by beating the team from that city by the more or less impressive score of 102 to 0. It felt that it needed a coach. Living in Green Bay and coaching at Oconto was the sensation of line play of four University of Wisconsin teams, one "Big Tom" Silverwood. He was "employed" to coach the team. The verb is in quotations because the coach was never paid. Silverwood took charge, introduced the system of having the coach, also captain the team and play in the lineup which was followed even by the world champion Packers in the same city. To Silverwood probably could go the title of "Father of Football in Green Bay". He had won his chevrons at the state university where he played tackle in the great teams featured by Iky Karel, Tool Lyman and others, the first conquerors of Minnesota. He took charge of the Green Bay football team toward the close of the season in 1986, after his season ended in Oconto...KRIPPNER WAS MANAGER: Edwin S. Krippner, west side merchant tailor, was the manager of the club. He attended to all of the challenges and the details of the club handling. He even attended to the detail of passing the hat at the big crowds which the team attracted its Saturday afternoon games. One of these big crowds approximated 300 persons and the mental records of the team, which were the only records kept, reveal that the biggest gate receipts for any one game was $95.00, which was paid by spectators at the Green Bay versus Lawrence University classic. The uniforms worn by this well dressed squad were paid for by the season's earnings and other funds. No single season realized from spectators was quite enough to pay the bills of the season. The games were all played at the fairgrounds. And the fairgrounds were in Hagemeister park which is now city property and is almost exactly where the Bays play their games to win national honors for Green Bay. There were no tickets sold. There were no seats. The spectators stood through the games...MARINETTE BITTER RIVALS: Company I of Marinette were this early team's "Chicago Bears" of bitterest rivals. Green Bay went to Marinette. Marinette came to Green Bay, and Green Bay went again to Marinette. Then if Oconto, Appleton, Oshkosh or Fond du Lac dared to organize a football team, they were immediately challenged. The city teams all disposed of, the city of Green Bay already itching for fame even in these early phases of football development, sent its squad to stood through the games...MARINETTE BITTER RIVALS: Company I of Marinette were this early team's "Chicago Bears" of bitterest rivals. Green Bay went to Marinette. Marinette came to Green Bay, and Green through the games...MARINETTE BITTER RIVALS: Company I of Marinette were this early team's "Chicago Bears" of bitterest rivals. Green Bay went to Marinette. Marinette came to Green Bay, and Green Bay went again to Marinette. Then if Oconto, Appleton, Oshkosh or Fond du Lac dared to organize a football team, they were immediately challenged. The city teams all disposed of, the city of Green Bay already itching for fame even in these early phases of football development, sent its squad to new worlds to conquer. And the story of the annihilation of the Lawrence University squad has already been told. There were no forward passes. There was very little punting. There was no point after the touchdown. But there were a lot of touchdowns. There but three downs instead of four and the squad had to make but five yards instead of ten to call it first down. The game was closer. The lines were closer, the plays and the formations closer. The spectators saw the game was rougher. The veterans of this old squad deny it. They say there were as many injuries today as there were in these battering days. They say the boys play harder, better and vastly superior football today. But they reserve for their team the best football that was played in their day. There were but two substitutes or utility men. They had to be ready to play any position on the team and to take the place of any behemoth who became winded or wounded...BURNS, FLATLEY ENDS: Imagine that team, ready for the whistle, determined to "do or die" for Green Bay, and lined up as follows: Tod Burns and Frank Flatley, ends; Tom Silverwood, captain, coach and tackle; Harry Hanrahan and John Gray, guards; John Pies, center; Tom Skenadore and Jim Flatley or Heinie Vandenbrook, halfbacks; Fred Hulbert, quarterback; Bert Groesbeck, fullback; Snick Gross, mascot. They discover that they have but one tackle in the lineup. "Timeout" for Green Bay. Either Allie Vandenburg or Hobart Johnson, utility men, will go in as tackle. The whistle! They're off! And that's the real start of big league football in Green Bay.
PACKERS BATTLE DODGERS SUNDAY
SEPT 19 (Green Bay) - From out of the east, the Brooklyn Dodgers will come to Green Bay tomorrow, intent on stopping the Packers in their quest for a third national football championship. The professional football teams will battle at the City stadium, starting at 2 o'clock and a crowd of 7,000 or more is looked for. Boasting a powerful front wall and fleet backs, the Brooklyn eleven is expected to give the Packers a real test. They tasted defeat last Sunday in the opening game at Portsmouth and are anxious to erase that upset at the expense of the Bays. Most of the veterans, who turned in some fine performances for Brooklyn last year, to help the team finish fourth in the National league, are back in uniform again, together with some new men, fresh from college ranks who desire to make successful debuts in the professional game...BULTMAN WITH TEAM: One of these new men, who is more anxious than most to make good in the game here, is Arthur (Red) Bultman, former West Green Bay star and captain of the undefeated Marquette eleven last year. Bultman is playing center for the Dodgers. An unusual feature of the game will be Bultman opposing Don Carlos, new Packer center. These two men met on opposing teams for three consecutive years in college, Bultman with Marquette and Carlos with Drake, and will be opponents in a professional game for the first time Sunday. Their personal duel will be interesting to watch. Coach E.L. Lambeau has a lot of respect for the Dodgers and will probably start his strongest squad if he can name it. All of the men have been showing up good in practice, so it's no easy job to pick out the group that will best function against the invaders. As was the case last Sunday, all of the new men are expected to be seen in action again at some stage of the game. The Packer coach wishes to continue his study of new players under fire and the only way he can do it is use them. All Packers with the exception of Frank Baker, end, are expected to be ready for play. Baker, who turned his ankle in practice, probably will be given a rest for another week so that it mends properly. The roster is now complete with the exception of Cal Hubbard, tackle, who is not expected to arrive until next week...STRESS PASS DEFENSE: The Packer coach has stressed pass defense in practice this week, as the team appeared weak in this department last Sunday. They also have been working to perfect timing of plays and their performance should be smoother this week than it was last Sunday in the opening game. The Brooklyn team is due to arrive in Green Bay tonight and will quarter at the Beaumont hotel. The squad has been training at Magnetic Springs all week and is reported to be in fine shape. Frosty Peters, Illinois halfback and one of the greatest dropkickers and punters in the game, joined the squad Thursday and will be in uniform. As a special feature, Russ Winnie, WTMJ broadcaster, will be at the game and put on a novelty stunt between halves. WTMJ will not start broadcasting Packer games until next Sunday, however. WHBY, St. Norbert's college, will be on the air again with a direct broadcast. High school teams of Shawano, Two Rivers and Algoma high school football players will witness the game, taking advantage of a special cut-rate offer made by the club to high school performers.
THE CLEVELAND INDIANS
The 1931 team was a league-sponsored club that played the majority of their games on the road. The NFL had acquired the franchise of the Orange/Newark Tornadoes when that team left the league after the 1930 season; the league intended to locate this team permanently in Cleveland with new ownership. Cleveland was chosen because of the recent construction of their brand-new Cleveland Stadium; at 83,000 seats, the massive stadium was by far the largest in the league, which was still regularly playing games in stadiums of under 10,000 fans in some of the smaller markets. However, game attendance for the Indians' two home games were nowhere near capacity (the home opener drew a mere 2,000 fans;
the finale, a more respectable but still relatively small 10,000) and no suitable owner was found that would put the team in Cleveland, so the team's spot in the league was sold to George Preston Marshall, who established a team in Boston (later known as the Redskins) in the 1932 season. Among the games this incarnation of the Indians played was an exhibition against the Buffalo Bears in Buffalo, New York, a city that had lost their own NFL franchise, the Bisons, after the 1929 season. It would begin an extensive tradition of neutral-site NFL games in Buffalo that would last until the Buffalo Bills were established in 1960. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
